Glendale, AZ (Sports Network) - Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom both scored twice, as the Detroit Red Wings pounded the Phoenix Coyotes, 6-1, in Game 7 of the last Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Red Wings 6, Coyotes 1: Detroit Dominates Phoenix In Game 7
Brad Stuart and Todd Bertuzzi also scored while Jimmy Howard made 32 saves for the Red Wings, who advanced to face the San Jose Sharks in the conference semifinals. Henrik Zetterberg and Brian Rafalski both posted three assists for Detroit, which competed in a Game 7 on the road for the first time since 1991.
Vernon Fiddler scored the only goal for the Coyotes, whose upstart season came to an end in front of their home crowd. First year head coach Dave Tippett brought Phoenix back into the postseason for the first time in eight years but the Red Wings were simply too much in the final game of this see-saw series.
Phoenix goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was strong at times and kept the Coyotes in the game well into the second period, but the final tally sheet showed six goals allowed on 50 shots. Phoenix again played without the services of captain Shane Doan, who missed the final four games of the series with an upper-body injury.
The Coyotes remained without a postseason series win since 1987 and are now 0-6 in the playoffs since the franchise relocated to Arizona from Winnipeg.
The upcoming Detroit-San Jose series is one which most figured to see in the conference finals, but the two perennial Western powers will now go to battle. San Jose will have home-ice advantage, as all four higher seeds advanced in the West.
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